


Mission: Delivery

by Riyame Uchiha (EmberLioness)



Series: The Riyame Chronicles [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Female Protagonist, Gen, Kumorigakure, Mission: Delivery, Original Hidden Village, Original Male Antagonist, Sensory Smoke Bombs, Team 7 - Freeform, Team Kumori, mission
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-04
Updated: 2016-06-10
Packaged: 2018-05-11 17:17:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5635279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmberLioness/pseuds/Riyame%20Uchiha
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The next chapter has begun. Now she has been selected to join a three-man team composed of Naruto, Sasuke, and herself. It's bad enough that there is tension within the group, but now they have to battle outside forces too. When a notorious bandit decides to rain on their mission, Riyame's mind will be the most vulnerable.</p>
<p>**THIS STORY IS CURRENTLY BEING REWRITTEN!**<br/>In 2016, I rewrote Riyame's first chapter. It's time for this one to be rewritten. The final version won't be posted until I finish refining what I have written and written what I haven't. When I do, I will tag it with "2017 Rewrite".</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Choices

“So…I have to what exactly?” Naruto scratched his head absentmindedly. Tsunade’s explanation had gone over his head, and he wasn’t above asking twice.

Tsunade’s expression verged on impatient. She stifled the urge to throw the closest object at the kid standing in front of her.

“It’s a C rank. Deliver a cart to the Shadow Village. Mostly walking-“

“Why can’t they come get it themselves?” Naruto’s interjection wasn’t taken well.

“Villages have alliances for a reason,” She snapped, “It was a mission given to us, therefore, we have to deliver it. We need no other explanation.”

“But that sounds boring,” He grumbled.

“You’re the one who has been whining about a lack of missions,” She reminded him, “Everyone else that I trust is busy.” A grin spread across Naruto’s face, and his eyes glinted with petty thoughts. She trusted him? She was going to pay for admitting that out loud if she ever decided to scold him.

“When do I start?”

“When you have a team of three,” Tsunade countered. “You didn’t think that you were walking that far alone, did you?” He crossed his arms stubbornly, irritated by his lack of triumph. So much for the trust.

“Why don’t you just send me with my team?” He was reflexively bitter.

“Like I said, everyone else is busy. Sakura is one of those. Sasuke is an option, but I was already going to send him with if you accepted.” Naruto’s mouth popped open to argue, but she cut him off. “Don’t bother. The two of you need to learn to work together. I already sent someone to get him.” 

Naruto looked for a way to break her winning streak, “Can—can I at least pick the other one? Or did you pick them too?” An edge of pout played in his tone.

Tsunade sighed in exasperation, “Sure, why not.” Naruto’s excitement was short-lived. “You only have a handful of other genin and chunin open, and they don’t have to accept.” 

Naruto’s groan was drowned out by a knock at the door. In stepped Sasuke. Naruto’s mood darkened in response. He silently hoped that Uchiha refused. 

Tsunade straightened up as he said, “You wanted me?”

“You have a choice. Naruto is going on a mission to deliver a cart to the Shadow Village. I don’t trust him not to goof off, and this mission has an expiration date.” Naruto protested, but Tsunade talked over him.

“So you want me to babysit him?” Sasuke grumbled, “No thanks.”

“Do you have anything better to do?” Tsunade challenged. Sasuke’s expression soured. “Didn’t think so.”

“I thought I had a choice,” He replied.

“You do. Choosing to join him, you get out of the village for a few days, and you can boss Naruto around for the duration of the mission because I’m naming you the leader.” Sasuke guessed this was a ploy to make the mission more attractive, and he had to admit that the offer was tempting.

“Who’s the third member,” Sasuke prompted.

“I’m still deciding,” Naruto barked defensively. 

Sasuke looked to Tsunade for confirmation, who nodded. “It was the only way he’d stop complaining.” Sasuke sighed. He had thought so.

“What’re the choices?” Sasuke replied coolly.

“I’m the one choosing,” Naruto interjected, “Who’s on the list?”

Tsunade rolled her eyes at his childishness and looked down the list she had made prior to Naruto’s request. “Three people. Ino Yamanaka-“

“Not gonna happen,” He spat, motioning down with his thumbs.

“Choji Akimichi-“

“Better, but he might eat it all.” Naruto laughed at his personal joke, oblivious to Tsunade’s rising anger.

“—and Riyame Uchiha.” It had been a chore, but she finished as though Naruto had never spoken.

Naruto’s eyes lit up, and he smiled. If there were gears in his head, they would have been turning. He had nearly forgotten about their temporary teammate. With her company, getting bossed around by Sasuke might just be bearable. Maybe Sasuke would leave them alone if she was with him. He avoided her all the time anyway. 

He shook away those thoughts before they settled. He couldn’t be that selfish. He saw what it did to her when Sasuke ignored her. She may be less awkward, but it broke her heart. That thought brought back memories of the week prior. Suddenly, he found himself worrying if she got hurt.

“Is this just a distance thing,” Naruto asked.

Tsunade hesitated, but she responded with, “Distance with a time restraint, yes.” Naruto sighed with relief, but Sasuke beat him to a response.

“No. Absolutely not.” He glared out the window behind the Hokage’s desk.

“Not your decision,” Naruto snapped. He didn’t even falter under the molten glare Sasuke turned his way. “Why do you care? You get to be the leader. Not happy with bossing us around?”

Sasuke didn’t want to admit that being near his sister filled him with confusing emotions, and he couldn’t think of a more cohesive response than, “Fine.”

“I pick Riyame,” Naruto stated proudly.

“Fine,” Tsunade said dismissively, “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll send someone to get her.” Tsunade left them alone in the awkward silence that followed the closing of the door. 

Neither of them wanted to be the one to break that silence, nor did they want to look at each other. Something was gnawing at Sasuke that he didn’t want to vocalize, not that he would know how. He wasn’t used to worrying about a relationship with another person. To say it irritated him was an understatement. He almost would have rather dealt with the blonde or the fat boy. 

His eyes bored into the side of Naruto’s head, trying to understand the reasoning behind his choice. She wasn’t strong or fast. Neither of them knew the range of jutsu she could use. Since she had been in the hospital for the better part of the week prior, she had only proven that she was good at hiding and being where she wasn’t wanted. Personality wise, she may have been more tolerable, but she was just more dead weight that Sasuke would have to carry if something went wrong.

In the end, Sasuke’s curiosity won out. 

“What were you thinking,” He sneered.

“Sorry, what was that?” He grumbled. Acting like he hadn’t heard him must have annoyed him, but Naruto didn’t care about his opinion.

“Don’t play dumb. Why, of all people, did you have to choose her?”

“My choice,” Naruto reasoned. “What’s the matter? It’s only a C rank.”

“Just a C rank?” Sasuke let the irony of Naruto’s statement sink in. When realization dawned on him, Sasuke said nothing. His point was made.

“That was a one-time thing, and you know it.” Naruto waved it off, “Why are you so worried? Do you care now? You never did apologize.”

“No reason,” Sasuke cut across him. Naruto frowned at him but said nothing else.

 

Light conversation bounced around us as Kakashi-sensei ordered his lunch. Ichiraku’s Ramen shop wasn’t my normal stop, but when he offered, how could I say no. Besides, I knew what this was. He was checking on me. 

The shop’s owner struck up a conversation with Kakashi. I kept silent as I peered up at the menu. 

“You should have heard Naruto come through here bragging this morning. Talking about how he was going to get a good mission, and he wasn’t going to take no for an answer.” 

Sensei chuckled lightly. “That sounds like Naruto, alright. Leave it to him to beef it up. He’s probably going to get a D rank, C rank at best if the Hokage has no one else to spare.”

A smile quirked the corners of my lips, but it died quickly. I caught Kakashi’s eye dart to my face. While I still noticed it, it had stopped bothering me as much. With the exception of Sasuke, who largely ignored me, it happened anytime I was near team seven. They watched me like they were afraid I was going to unravel. I thought this overly cautious and somewhat annoying, but I tolerated it because it was nice having someone there to care about me after so long of being alone.

“Anything look appetizing?” Before I got a chance to reply, I felt a familiar presence advancing our way with purpose. I looked back expecting to see the Hokage’s assistant rounding the corner. Kakashi sensei copied me just in time to see her turn the bend in her approach. 

I didn’t acknowledge the curious look on his face and ignored the heating of my cheeks. I forgot how weird I must look. Often. I was so used to this extra sense that I never registered what others might think.

My heart lurched when she stopped in front of me.

“Riyame,” her sweet voice wrapped around my name as she smiled at me, “Lady Tsunade would like to see you.” My eyebrows met my hairline. Scenarios sped through my mind as I tried to figure out what I’d done. 

“Alright,” I muttered, “May I ask why?”

She offered me a smile, “Oh, I’m sorry. She didn’t give me much to work with. Something about a mission opportunity. In any case, I was just told to retrieve you.” She folded her hands in front of her patiently.

I glanced at Kakashi-sensei, slightly abashed. He motioned for me to go on with a good-natured ruffle of my hair. My teeth found my lip at the comforting sensation.

“I’m sorry,” I sighed.

“Don’t worry about it, kiddo. Let me know how it goes,” Sensei called after me.

Miss Shizune steered me to the Hokage’s building—a large, orange-brown building that stood tall in the head of the village. She led me through the front doors to see Lady Tsunade leaning against the front desk. Her finger tapping stopped as we approached. She still looked faintly irritated, and I assumed that she had already dealt with Naruto.

“Ah, Riyame! Good,” She greeted smoothly, “Thank you, Shizune.” The dark-haired assistant nodded happily, “Tell Kagame that I’m waiting on her evaluation, so hurry up, would you?” Another nod and Shizune left us.

Tsunade turned her attention to me. She briefly explained why she had called me there, and I couldn’t help the incredulous look that I gave her. 

“And they chose me?” She nodded, “And you didn’t tell him this was a bad idea?”

“Why would it be?” Tsunade asked with a quirked brow. I frowned, averting my eyes. “Do you decline?” I gnawed on my lip.

I didn’t know how to answer her. Part of me wanted to prove that I could. Another part of me wanted to decline and live to see another day. Not that I’d die of anything but embarrassment. If Kakashi was right, and it was only a low-ranked mission, I’d never hear the end of it from Naruto—or Kagame for that matter.

It wasn’t so much the mission that intimidated me. Sasuke was a part of this three-man team, and we had already proven that he and I don’t work well together. We were like oil and water. This wasn’t bound to be a pleasant experience.

When I finally got the courage to speak again, I said, “I don’t know…”

I heard a sigh. “Riyame, you are a fine shinobi.” I glanced up at her. “Stop downing yourself. You’re only going to hold yourself back. There’s potential in you; don’t let anyone tell you any differently. Not your teammates, not your brothers, no one. Understood?”

I nodded. Does anyone count as me too? I didn’t ask the question out loud. I knew what her response would be. After I accepted, she led me up to her office in silence. Up a few flights of stairs and through the doors, there soon my teammates. Every muscle in my back stiffened in anticipation as I stepped between them.

Tsunade gave us a briefing on the mission’s details. “The cart will be waiting for you at the Northern Gate. I want you all back here in no less than three days. Got it?”

“Right.” The three of us said it in unison.

“Right, then. If you run into trouble of any kind, I have Shikamaru placed on standby. Send for him,” she ordered. Each of us nodded and left, “Good luck. You’re going to need it.”

I walked home to pack. I made sure I was fully stocked on kunai and shuriken before I headed in the direction of the gates. I walked briskly, trying to ignore the building cage of nerves that were rattled anytime I was forced to face my brother. Kagame told me to breathe deeply to soothe the nerves, but this was a problem rhythmic breathing wouldn’t fix.

Of course, Sasuke was already there. I sensed him long before I saw him. His cool demeanor wasn’t marred by my arrival, only intensified as he brushed it off. I glanced around before deciding that near the cart was the safest place to stand. A conversation wasn’t happening. Sasuke didn’t bother sparing a glance at me. If anything, he avoided it entirely. The tense atmosphere only escalated. Probably because neither of us thought I should be here. Understandably so…

After nearly five minutes of tense, awkward silence, I could sense Naruto’s arrival. Relief was so immediate that I nearly let loose a sigh. He bounced over to us, immediately volunteering to carry the cart. It wasn't light, yet he seemed more than sturdy enough for the task. I offered because if something happened they'd need someone more capable standing in the front, but Naruto insisted that he was fine. Arguing would only delay us, so I relented.

As we trudged out the gates, I fell into step beside Naruto. Sasuke walked a short distance ahead. Clearly, he had taken the role of leader, and who was I to argue. He was the best candidate. It's not as though I could lead the team...though Naruto wasn't too happy.

The walk was also awkward and silent. Small talk wasn't my forte, and I had more than a feeling that Naruto and Sasuke weren't going to begin a dialogue. Naruto seemed to have something different on his mind because he stopped watching his feet.

In a matter of moments, his foot caught a protruding rock, dropping the cart and falling forward. I was just fast enough to grip him under his arms and prevent him from falling, but I had no such luck with the cart.

My chest lurched as my attention turned to the cart, but Sasuke was already there, supporting it. A sigh of relief washed away the tension in my chest.

I looked down to check on Naruto, and my cheeks burned. His face was nearly pressed against my chest, meaning his momentum must have carried him a bit too far. For a moment, I completely contemplated dropping him, but that would have been rude. When our eyes locked, we jumped away from each other with shouts of surprise - though mine resembled a yelp.

I avoided his eyes, but that too was a mistake. I caught my brother's gaze, who looked murderous. It may have been aimed at Naruto, but intimidation crept down my spine and left a dry spot on the back of my tongue.

"You idiot!" I jumped. "You almost ruined everything." Even I cringed at his words.

"I tripped," Naruto sneered back, meeting his glare fearlessly. "You wouldn't be such a dick if it was anyone else!" I disagreed, but I wasn't about to interject into this fight. Not that I could with my muscles seizing the way they were.

"I wouldn't have to explain how to watch their feet to anyone else," He barked.

"Even you, the great Sasuke Uchiha, trips sometimes."

"Yes, but I'm not completely incapable of pulling a cart," He replied with a growl.

"S-Sasuke-" His dirty look made any further defense turn to mush.

Sasuke grumbled something under his breath before snapping, "Pull it and pull it right this time, dunce." Naruto mocked him rudely as he retook the cart. He sneered at his back as he walked on. 

I felt a twinge of nausea. This was not going to be a pleasant walk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has long needed to be rewritten. I'm working on it slowly, so hopefully, this will show major improvement compared to what it used to look like.


	2. Caution

As I glanced around, a nervous feeling began to build in my stomach. The forest was much too silent. Not even the sounds of the animals rang through the air, only the sounds of the cart's wheels and our soft, nearly silent footsteps. My senses weren't so dull that I couldn't sense animals, they were just so small that they were easy to ignore. There weren't even any animals within a twenty meter radius. Only...a person. No, multiple people? Every single one of them sent a shaky unease to my stomach that turned my legs to jelly.

"Sasuke...Naruto..." I whispered, forcing the jittery nervousness from my voice. I knew that the boys must have barely heard me, so whoever was waiting in the bushes for us mustn't have heard. Both of them glanced at me, but we kept moving. "We're being pursued." I warned, my voice quivering by the end.

I could see Naruto stiffen with caution, "Don't look for them." Sasuke ordered in a low voice. It wasn't as if I was in the first place, but it was a good precaution to take. He must have believed me... "Act like they aren't there." Naruto and I nodded once.

"You think they're here to have a tea part?" Naruto asked sarcastically.

"No." Sasuke and I said it in unison. He nodded and we kept moving in silence. We continued walking for another ten minutes; every minute growing more tense as they ticked by. Our pursuers still stalked us, assuming they were undetected I bet.

They moved about the same pace that we were, not stopping. Only following, stalking us and hiding in the trees. After that ten minutes, they seemed to speed up. For a few seconds, I thought they were going to leave, but that nagging feeling of foreboding told me otherwise. That feeling was proved correct when ten or so rugged and scarred bandits landed in front of us. Each of them wore dirty, torn clothing; all of them bare chested and shirtless. Most of them wore hoods that covered their faces, but the man that was clearly the leader stood near the front.

Covered in scars, tall, and very muscular, his body was adorned with a long winding tattoo of a dragon on his right arm. Shirtless, torn black pants and rugged bandages hung off his body. His matted hair was messy and black, and his face was unsightly and mean.

"We're gunna need that cart, kiddies." The leader's voice was deep and husky, "So here's what were gunna do... We'll let you go free if you just hand it over. Then you can go skipping back to the little village where you belong."

"In your dreams tall, dark and gruesome." Naruto laughed.

"You're a cocky brat," The leader spat, "Just give 'em to us and we won't have to hurt you. Then we can all go home-"

Sasuke was the one who spoke because, to be honest, I was somewhat terrified. "You're idiots if you think you'll intimidate ninja from the Hidden Leaf Village."

"Yeah, a little conflict never stops us." Naruto chimed boldly. I didn't speak. My lips were sealed tight because, unlike the boys, I was intimidated. They actually scared me.

When the leader locked eyes with me, I thought I was going to keel over in terror, "You seem like a sensible girl. Why don't you talk some sense into your little friends."

I did my best to hide any and all terror in my voice. I could feel Naruto and Sasuke's expectant eyes on me, "I won't abandon a mission." It came out about as firm as I could manage.

"Oh...so the Leaf Village has you brainwashed with that ridiculous sense of responsibility too..." He grumbled as his men began to surround us, "Fine then, have it your way. We'll just take it from you."

I could hear the challenge in Naruto's voice, "Bring it."

When the men rushed us, I was totally taken off guard. They focused on the boys and ignored me. As much as this confused me, I was grateful. Both of them were handling themselves handsomely. Naruto created shadow clones to assist him, and Sasuke was doing just fine on his own. I was just the only one by the cart any longer, so I made it my job to protect it. If you call cowering by it protecting it. I never much liked what fear or adrenaline did to me. The way it made my pulse pound or my stomach churn.

That creeping nervousness returned when I didn't see the leader. I was seconds too late by the time I found his presence amongst all of the fighting. Before I could react, my arms were twisted behind my back and a kitana blade was pressed to my neck, the blade pressed into my skin. I let out a shock filled whimper, forcing the boys' attention to me. He pulled away long enough for his blade to slice me clean in half, "One down..."

"Riyame!" Naruto shouted, anger on his face. Sasuke only smirked as two large pieces of log clunked to the ground. I was breathing heavily behind a tree a few meters to his right sporting a fresh gash on my upper arm. I was almost too late; his blade was unbelievably sharp. Naruto's look of approval was barely visible through the treeline as he and Sasuke continued fighting the rogues.

I could hear the irritation in the leader's voice, "Stupid girl. That was a cheap trick. Is that all you can do?" He coaxed. I could sense him, but not very much in depth. My thoughts were swirling out of control as I tried to think of a course of action. I didn't have time to think of anything before flames bellowed around me.

I barely rolled out of the treeline in a panic before it hit me. As my arms pushed me up, a large foot collided with my stomach, knocking the breath from my lungs. I gasped in shock as pain jabbed into me and I fell onto my stomach. I glanced up and froze when I saw his kitana raised to strike. To kill.

As I laid there, I could hear Naruto helplessly call my name. I was dead and I knew it, so I closed my eyes and waited for the pain to come. But it never did...

I could feel my brother's presence close to me. I peeked up. He was crouched over me and had stopped the blade with only two kunai. Sasuke kicked him back, "Why don't you and I have a go... Preying on the weak is a waste of time." He coaxed.

The leader considered him for a moment, seemingly satisfied. So Sasuke stood. I followed his lead when he motioned for me to stop, glancing back at me, "Get the cart and get it out of the way. Then, defend it." He ordered. I nodded, scrambling to get to my feet. The leader eyed me, his hand twitching as a kunai stabbed into my skirt and pinned it to the earth beneath it.

My heart lurched, "Why don't you be a good little girl and watch while I destroy your teammate." He did a series of hand signs and flames bellowed toward us. My stomach nearly bottomed out until Sasuke scooped me up and just barely dodged the flames. He crouched by me, placing me on the ground next to the cart.

My heart still hammered in my chest, it's panicky thrumming pulsing through my chest, "Protect it." I nodded wildly gasping in a breath and pushing myself to my feet. I wheeled the cart out of the way of all of the fighting; it had much more heft than I thought it would have. Naruto would have to be very stout to continuously pull it for an extended period of time.

I leaned into the cart, a good ten meters from the fighting and out of breath. I glanced at Naruto, fighting nearby. He took on all of the rogues that Sasuke had ditched all on his own. The only thing that crept into my mind was how useless I was. Yes, I stood here protecting the cart, but what use was I really? Naruto was fighting nine bandits completely on his own. His shadow clones would go two on one, and when one was taken out, he would create two more. It was wonderful thinking. Sure, he got knocked around quite a bit, but Naruto was always resilient.

The more I watched them fight, the more hopeless I felt. Sasuke saved me moments earlier. The first time, I barely saved myself. Deep down, I knew I shouldn't have said yes. Naruto shouldn't have picked me, and I'm sure he'd realized by now. I was surprised he didn't just send me back and pull Shikamaru out of reserve. I was probably the worst choice of the three, no matter who they were. No—I was sure that I was the worst.

My thoughts were interrupted by my senses humming in alert. One of the bandits charged me from behind, and I barely spun around in time. He threw a spiky knuckled fist; I ducked, some of the spikes cutting a strand or two of hair. His foot swung around in a sweep kick. I dodged his kick, kicking him in the sternum to force him away from me. I was never very good at close range. I learned that when I sparred with my teammates—both of which specialized in it.

He punched at me again; I dodged his arm, shoving it down. I swung my leg around and kicked him across the face. He let out a grunt of brief pain before starting to recover. When he did, I was toast, so I kicked him away from me again and kicked him across the face as he was stumbling. He fell to the ground and rolled toward Naruto. One of his shadow clones flashed me a smile and a thumbs up before dragging him into the brawl with his allies.

A light smile ghosted across my lips as I tried to hush my pounding pulse. I knew I couldn't let down my guard. This time, I made sure I expanded my senses a little and paid attention so no one could sneak up on me again. After making sure all of the rogue shinobi were being handled my Naruto, my attention turned to my brother. His movements were so precise, so coordinated. It was like watching a beautiful dance that he'd been rehearsing for years. Naruto's movements were a little more wild, more hyperactive with no real sense to them. Sasuke's were smooth and defined, subtle sophistication in them that you don't see in most shinobi. I would never be like that.

I let out a rattling sigh. There was no use in comparing myself to my brothers. It would only completely ruin any positive outlook or hope for the future that I might have wished for.

The leader barked out a curse under his breath after another failed attack on Sasuke, "These brats are getting annoying; Let's go. S'not worth it!" The leader ordered. He slammed something against the ground and it exploded. A huge, gagging cloud of smoke engulfed us all.

I could see anything, but I felt my way to the cart anyway and placed my had on it. An, "Oof," from Naruto reached me as well as the poofing from the disappearing of his shadow clones. As the smoke started to clear, I could no longer sense the bandits around us. They were fleeing into the forest.

"Haha! Yeah! You better run with your tail between your legs!" Naruto gloated after them, puffing his chest out pompously. Of course, like Sasuke, he had a reason to be proud. Maybe a little less hubris would be better, but he'd earned it. He fended off ten rogues with mere shadow clones. It was actually quite impressive.

Sasuke, on the other hand, didn't think so, "Don't be so cock, you moron." Naruto glared at him, "Next time, defeat them. Don't play with them."

"What about you!?" Naruto barked. Here came the bickering, "You spent most of your time fighting their leader. I didn't see you defeating him."

"He was in another league. Those rogues were easy," Sasuke sneered, "Neither of you could've handled the leader. He would've ripped you to shreds." His eyes were on me as he said this. I adverted my eyes, not wanting to meet his onyx orbs with mine.

"Hey! I could've handled him!" Naruto argued, "Riyame could've too if he hadn't caught her off guard." I suppressed the sort of depressed that smile that lifted up the corners of my mouth. He was talking me up and I didn't even deserve it.

"Ha! Yeah, sure..." Sasuke grumbled sarcastically. There it was again. That condescending sarcasm that gripped his words so often now. A harsh pang fluttered through my heart again.

"Why are you suck a jerk!?" Naruto yelled.

"Why are you such an idiot?" Sasuke growled.

"Alright, Uchiha, let's go. You and me..." The blonde boy put his fists up. My eyes lifted off the ground as I stared between them in utter disbelief. Bickering was one thing, but they were prepared to duke it out right here.

"Oh please. You couldn't take me." My brother challenged. I opened my mouth to speak. To say anything to stop this, but no sound came out.

"Wanna bet!?" Naruto charged at him, his fist reared. Sasuke only smirked at him and got ready for the fight. I had to do something, anything. I let my legs carry me, my pulse pounding in my ears as I blocked Naruto's punch with my shoulder. It hurt quite a bit, sending a dull pain radiating down my arm. That was going to bruise, Naruto wasn't messing around. He was actually attacking him.

"Enough!" I scolded. Frustration began to settle in. Sasuke was right the first time he directly insulted me. All I was good for was running and hiding. Now I could add human shield to that list.

"Whatever," Sasuke said, "She's right, we don't have time for this. We need to finish this mission." I looked to Sasuke, severely shocked my his words. I was right?

"We need to finish this mission..." Naruto mocked rudely. I looked back to the blonde boy scowling after my brother. I opened my mouth to try to defuse his anger, but he stormed over to the cart and began to pull it again. I let out a sigh as Sasuke took his place in front, taking my place beside Naruto.

We walked in awkward silence and continued in that eerie quiet until nightfall. By then, we were about a third of the way through Fire country and well on our way to the Village hidden in the shadows. Yes, we were making decent time, but being targeted by the bandits slowed us down tremendously.

Eventually, we thought it best to find a place to camp for the night. We needed our rest, and we were all exhausted from today's friction. Our camp fire stayed small, and our smoke low with branches that didn't put off much of it. Sasuke poked it with a long, narrow stick, assuring that it would continue to burn despite its low intensity. I warmed my hands near it occasionally, if anything, to give me something to do. Naruto leaned against the cart, so it was secured, and Sasuke sat on a higher rock as a look out. I had nothing of too much importance on my to do list, just listening to the sound of the peaceful forest around us.

Naruto was the first to break our silence, "So...Riyame..." At least he was making a solid attempt to make conversation. I glanced his way as I hugged my knees into my chest. "What sort of jutsu can you use?"

My cheeks tingled, that was a question that I hadn't been expecting. I didn't know how else to answer, "A few, I guess..."

I graduated early simply due to my advanced level. Not anything special. I didn't know super powerful jutsu. I didn't really have spectacular fighting abilities. My genjutsu was half decent. I was just...intelligent? No. That wouldn't be enough to advance me. It didn't advance Sasuke, so there would be no reason for it to push me ahead. I honestly had no clue why I was allowed to graduate a year early. Maybe they pity passed me to get me out of their classes. I wouldn't blame them.

"Like what?" He seemed a little too curious. He had always seemed to be one of those that had an inane interest in all things shinobi, so his interest didn't shock me. Maybe it was the phrasing of his question?

"Basics, like the substitution I guess." Going into detail on myself wasn't something that I made a habit of, so I didn't exactly keep track of what I'd learned. They aren't usually needed unless we're in a battle-worthy situation.

"Oh...Is that all?" Disbelief and a hint of disappointment colored his tone. A soft smile tugged on the corners of my lips. I could do a few fire style techniques, but part of me doubted that he would believe me. I wouldn't be able to handle it if he did, and either scoffed or marveled. So, I just nodded.

"It's okay. Even if it is true. You'll become great too. Just like me. I'm becoming Hokage, and I think—if you really wanted to—you could give me a run for the title, believe it." He gave me a cheeky smile that warmed cheeks and filled my stomach with butterflies.

The conversation seemed to die after that. That's all there seemed to be between us. Awkward conversations. If if didn't end it blushing, it was definitely nothing short of uncomfortable.

The night began to descend into the later hours and I struggled away from the grip that sleep was starting to impress on me. My heavy lids began to droop drowsily. I knew that if I slept, Naruto or Sasuke wouldn't get very much of it. The guilt from falling asleep on them would be horrible, but my mind did everything it could to diffuse the thoughts.

It tried to talk me into closing my eyes, just for a little while. They'll wake you up if you need to take over. But what if... My eyelids got the best of me and closed against my will.


	3. Disappearing Trick

When my eyes opened, I was lying on my side. My left arm was stiff from the most likely single position all night long. The sun barely peeked over the horizon, which told me that it was early. I pushed myself up slowly, glancing from the softly smoldering embers in the camp fire to Naruto's sleeping—and slightly snoring—form leaning against the cart. His chest rose and fell evenly with each breath. I wished I could sleep so peacefully. A gentle smile tugged on my lips as my eyes trailed around our makeshift campsite.

Sasuke was still perched on the rock where he kept guard last night. His eyes weren't visible. Part of me was relieved. I didn't feel like looking into them and have that creeping intimidation shoot down my spine. I knew he wasn't asleep. If he wasn't asleep, that meant that he was listening. When his eyes popped open, my heart lurched in my chest. His onyx eyes snapped to me, and I half-jumped. Hopefully, he didn't notice.

"Morning...?" I muttered meekly. Even I could hear the nerves in my voice. He didn't answer me verbally, only nodded his head. My teeth found my lip and I shifted awkwardly. This was the only alone time we had together since we met again a few weeks ago. The first in seven years! An uncomfortable tension began to seep into the air that made me swallow to wet my dry throat.

We sat in silence for a while. I didn't want to break it. With my luck, I would embarrass myself. Besides, I didn't know what to say to start a conversation. So I settled with dropping my gaze. I could still feel his eyes on my face, and the tingle that rose to my cheeks couldn't be squelched.

It was a good thing he broke that silence because I wasn't going to, "I keep trying to figure it out, but I can't wrap my mind around it." I glanced at him in acknowledgement, not wanting to speak. I had the feeling that this was going to be a difficult and painful conversation, "How did you even survive?"

A pang stabbed into my chest, "I don't know." I muttered, my voice low and dull, "I was there-" I shook the scenes of my nightmares out of my head, "-and he could have killed me if he wanted to, but he didn't. He just...let me watch it all..." I cringed as the memories tried flooding into my mind and did my best to put back up my protective wall.

"What did he tell you?" I avoided his gaze.

"The same thing that he told you," I didn't go into extra detail. There was no need reliving it.

"And yet," He continued, "you don't hate him..."

"No." I'm sure that he was just as disappointed as Itachi, "He scares me..." I admitted in a dull whisper, "to death..."

My eyes caught his, and his expression caught me off guard. I was expecting apathy and disgust, not disappointment and sympathy. That did send a surge of relief through me. He wasn't completely stone cold yet. Just this thought filled me with quiet hope.

"I could have guessed as much." Silence enveloped us again. Naruto's snoring began to quieten until it stopped all together, though he didn't wake until an hour later.

"Oh, hey Riyame." He yawned, "Didn't know you were up already. You seemed really tired last night." Guilt dropped into my stomach like a hot coal.

"Yeah...sorry about that..." I muttered.

"We need to get going." Sasuke jumped from the rock and took his position as the leader. Naruto rolled his eyes, mocking him rudely, and grabbed the cart. I completely extinguished the fire and took my place in formation.

We must have walked for hours. Despite the decent sleep the night before, I was still exhausted. One night of sleep usually wasn't enough. But, if I read the map correctly, we were about halfway there. That was a plus, and we were making remarkable time—even despite our little skirmish with the random bandits. It was almost suspicious how great we were doing on time. With that little altercation, we should have been set back quite a bit. Maybe it was just the fact that we got a somewhat early start this morning, but my gut wanted to tell me otherwise.

The forest was quiet, but it was slowly waking up. That in it of itself was odd. It was a few hours past dawn, so the forest should have been wide awake by now. At the very least it wasn't the dead silence like before, but my senses wanted to stay on red alert.

I always seemed to know when something was going to happen—bad or not. There was a feeling of anticipation that would build until whatever it was would arrive. If it was good, an eager feeling would begin to form. Like a sort of elated high. Those were easy to ignore, they just tended to put me in a slightly better mood. But if it was bad, a feeling of unease would leak into the pits of my stomach. My mind would almost instantly brace itself for what was to come. Sometimes, I didn't know how to label certain feelings that I'd get, but I knew what this one was.

My nerves weren't jittery like yesterday, but I got a sense of impending trouble out of it. Something bad was going to happen.

On the borders of my senses, I could feel things skirt by. Not animals, no, they were much too big for that. They were human, and they weren't exactly allies. They would never completely enter the borders of my sensory, so I had a feeling that they were testing their limits. My teeth worried my bottom lip. They were playing with us.

There was only a brief second's warning when all of the sounds of the forest silenced. I froze, a gasp leaping from my lips. Both of pairs of eyes, onyx and blue, were on me, but it was too late. I heard a small crack and poof and the boys disappeared in a cloud of smoke. The smoke burned when I breathed it in, and I nearly choked on it.

"Guys?" He coughed. Naruto's voice wasn't too far away. If I was careful, I could try to use my sensory to find him.

"Both of you stay where you are." Sasuke ordered. He was the best candidate for the leader, so I listened.

Just as I'd made the decision to listen, my stomach dropped to my feet. A hand clamped over my mouth. A scream caught in my throat as his lips were at my ear, "Shh..." He whispered.

"We need to get into formation." Sasuke coughed. I wanted to warn them somehow.

"Don't speak, cry, or whine. If you do, your friends are dead. Got it?" I didn't respond for the fear that my heart was going to explode from my chest. Warning them was now out of the question. My eyes burned, but I didn't dare close them.

"Naruto, Riyame, Follow the sound of my voice."

"Got it." Naruto muttered.

"Respond." It was barely a whisper, but clearly an order. His hand slipped from my mouth.

"I'm here," Hopefully he got the message.

With his hand firmly in place over my mouth, we melted into the forest. Even once we were out of the smoke, we were no longer in a part of the forest I recognized. We were off the beaten path, but my senses were dull. I could barely sense the man dragging me into the unknown. My lungs were still scratchy, and my head was floating. There must have been something that dulled your senses, which meant that they were expecting one of us to be affected. Chances were, they didn't think it was me. Not with the way I'd reacted.

By the time I was paying attention to the forest, I was lost. That was smart. Zone out instead of remembering your way back...Way to go Riyame.

When we stopped, I took in my surroundings. In front of us was a run down shack. The decaying, uneven boards were cracking and splintering. The door could barely even be called that. A feeling seeped into the pits of my stomach that sent my pulse through the roof. And as one of his large hands threw open the door, I knew that I didn't want to be here.

He threw me in front of him. My knees scraped against the ground, "Get up girl." He barked irritably. I shook off the stinging in my knees and tried to force my wobbly legs to work for me properly.

"While you're here, you better keep your mouth shut or your friends are going to pay for it." He barked. My stomach dropped to my feet, and I promised myself at that moment that no matter what was said to me, I wouldn't open my mouth.

I could barely see a few feet at a time. I kept my hand on the rough wall to my right, gripping it for support each time he shoved me forward. The narrow passage way was cold and musty, the dirt under my feet uneven and harsh. Every step I took deeper into this tunnel made my skin crawl with unease. Alarms sounded in my head, but I couldn't turn and run from this. Even if I could get out, It wouldn't be long before they would catch me. Without my senses, I would be as vulnerable as a child. My movements would be reckless and sloppy. Every wrong twig broken would be a mistake, and I could only hope to find my way back to the path. That was if I was lucky. If I wasn't, I would get both myself and my team hurt. I could only hope that they would have the sense to carry on with out me.

The hall way wasn't very lengthy, only made longer by the dark and my attempt at precise footsteps. I knew it had ended when I came face-to-face with another door. It wasn't nearly as abused as the first one, but the wear from continuous use was obvious. I understood it more when he shoved me aside so that he could kick open the door. My back and elbows were sure to sport several new scrapes if they didn't already.

"I took one of 'em hostage. You happy now." I was practically thrown to the ground. I fell to my stomach with an "oof" and tried to regain the breath my ungraceful landing took from me.

The ground underneath me was still the same soil as the passage, and the walls were the same rough stone. Unlike the tunnel, this rather large, circular cavern was well lit with torches. A stocky man stood a few meters in front of me. Even watching his back sent a shiver down my spine. He was the enemy, that, I knew for certain.

"I told you to take one of them in the night." His voice was pleasant, but his growl sharpened it. "Are you incompetent or just stupid?"

"They were on guard," The harsh man behind me grumbled, "It was the one with the red eyes." I glanced back at him. Sasuke? "I'm not stickin' my neck out for you."

The man turned to face him. Even I cringed away. His eyes were a startling burgundy that flickered menacingly in the fire-light. The glare that perforated my captor reminded me of my oldest brother. I cringed away from those memories and forced them back behind the protective wall where they belonged.

The young man wasn't as old as I thought he would be. He might have been sixteen or seventeen, and the way the fire reflected off his coal colored hair gave him a more sinister look.

"I own you." He barked, "Or have you and your little band of dim-witted miscreants forgotten that?" As I adjusted myself, his eyes fell on me. His glare seemed to soften, "And who's this?" The harsh growl that he'd used with the bandit disappeared.

I sat there, not daring to move, speak or even visibly breathe. A small smile spread across his lips that curled like a smirk, "A woman of few words I see...Well, I apologize if that barbarian was too rough." His eyes held mine as he barked out an order, "Leave us." My senses had returned enough to know that we were now alone.

Now that we were alone, my nerves were stabbing into my stomach viciously. He approached slowly, his eyes taking me in and measuring me. I knew what he was wondering. How was someone like me a ninja? Was I even old enough? They were common questions that popped out of others' mouths. I wouldn't blame them. Maybe if I wasn't me, I would think the same.

His proximity as he knelt in front of me made me uncomfortable, "You're smaller than I was expecting. The way they presented the report led me to believe that your little squad was untouchable." The corners of my mouth pulled down, "You're much younger than I was expecting..."

"I graduated early." It was low, barely audible. My teeth found my bottom lip. My heart skipped a beat, and I found myself watching for my kidnapper to burst into the room and tell me my fears.

"She speaks!" A smirky smile lifted his face, "You aren't very loud...You're like a mouse, tiny in both size and stature." He laughed—a pleasantly eerie sound. His eyes scanned me again, and I tried to squelch the tingling in my cheeks, "Tell me, do you think your teammates would value your life over a cart?" My lips parted to spit out the sadly automatic response, but I stopped myself. Normally I would answer with a No, but I wasn't with my team. I was with two completely different people. Naruto would care, and though I couldn't ensure that Sasuke wouldn't kick me to the curb, I know he wouldn't let him.

"Nothing...? Surely they care about you." He said. A strange look crossed his face, "I'll tell you a secret." His voice dropped, and the alarms blared in my head again. "That little bundle of goodies that your beloved Hokage has you carting around disguises an interesting message to allies. Do you want to know what it is?"

Every cell screamed at me, "She has her reasons for not telling us." I muttered stiffly.

"I doubt that..." He leaned so close to me that my stomach flipped and his breath was on my earlobe, "War plans." My heart nearly stuttered to a stop as he stood, "Yes, that's right...Your precious Hokage is sitting in her cozy little office while she uses you and your teammates as pack mules to do her dirty work." I shook my head.

"She isn't-"

"That's how the adult world is, sweetheart. Even your Hokage isn't perfect." He was suddenly in front of me again. He smiled gently, his index finger brushing my forehead.

The reaction was almost instantaneous. My vision slurred, and the world around me swayed. My head began to float and I met the ground before my world faded into darkness.

"Naruto, Riyame, follow the sound of my voice." Sasuke ordered. He didn't trust the smoke or what was in it. This was an ambush, and they needed to be in a formation where they could watch each others' backs.

"Got it," Naruto answered almost right away.

"I'm here." Her answer was hesitant and odd. She lagged behind, her head in the clouds and in her thoughts. He couldn't be sure that she wasn't already compromised.

Someone nearly stumbled into him, 'Whoa, sorry. I can't see anything in this." Naruto was right beside him and he could barely see his face.

"Riyame..." Sasuke said cautiously. When she didn't respond, he knew she was gone. And as the smoke dissipated, his suspicions were confirmed.

"Riyame?" Naruto called out.

"She's gone..." He said.


	4. Ultimatum

"I'm not going to give up on her." He snapped, his blue eyes sending daggers at Sasuke, "I refuse, but it looks like you already did."

An angry wave of protectiveness lashed at him, "I'm trying to think, and I'm sick of you running around like an idiot.

"Gah! Don't you care that Riyame's gone!?" He growled.

"Shut up, and grab the cart." Sasuke barked back. He wasn't going to answer his question. Even if he wanted to, he wouldn't exactly know what to say.

"Whatever," Naruto mocked the phrase used by the raven haired boy so often.

They walked for at least ten minutes—Naruto and the remaining two clones pulling the cart—before they finally made their way out of the fog. The relief of his struggling brain was instantaneous. It was like the headache dissipated, leaving him room to work through his de-fogging brain. Even Naruto gasped in surprise, a hoarde of twenty clones popping up around him.

"What the-" He muttered all of them disappeared again.

"I knew it." It clicked so suddenly Sasuke almost felt stupid.

"Knew what...?" He grumbled.

"You didn't notice?"

"what-"

"The smog blocked our chakra reserves, our minds—our abilities to think straight," He rambled. Naruto didn't glare at him. His face actually turned to him in curiosity.

"So that smoke stopped me from making clones?"

"Yes."

"What the heck was that stuff?" He muttered, throwing a glance behind them.

"I don't know..." Sasuke answered, "but we need to keep going-"

"We can't leave her! They'll kill her when they get the chance; you've got to know that-" He argued.

"Shut up and listen to me, idiot." Naruto glared at him but stayed silent, "We need to find a safe place to hide the cart and camp for the night." Curiosity zinged in his eyes again, "They didn't go through the effort of taking one of us for no reason. They aren't planning on killing her any time soon. If anything, they're going to keep her for ransom."

"You think they believe we'll hand over the cart?" His eyes dropped to the ground full of guilt.

"Yeah," Sasuke's eyes dropped too. Did he feel guilty too?

They walked for several hours before they came across a niche near a lake and waterfall. The humidity of the water helped clear his head even more, allowing his brain to function properly. It felt good.

When they settled down, "We should be able to talk and rest in here without being detected. We just can't have very much of a fire tonight."

Naruto didn't say a word. In fact, he had been quiet the entirety of the walk, which was a feat that he didn't accomplish very often. It was almost concerning. Naruto usually never shut up. Sasuke didn't complain. He wanted to enjoy it while it lasted. Several minutes passed as Sasuke and Naruto covered the cart in the branches of a grouping of bushes. It was so well hidden that Sasuke would have to make sure that he remembered where it was. Naruto would most likely forget.

When they reached their small niche—which would have been a tight squeeze with all three of them—they sat side-by-side. It was silent for several more minutes until Naruto broke it.

"We can't," He snapped, "We can't you hear me. We can't let her get hurt over some stupid wooden thing thats just holding stupid crap."

"She's going to get hurt, Naruto. That's a guarantee." Sasuke muttered back.

"And you'll let her get hurt?"

"No-"

"That's bull crap! You don't care-"

He glared down the blonde haired boy, "I've been protecting her this entire time! Don't tell me that I don't care!"

"Whatever..." Naruto grumbled. He angled his entire body away from Sasuke,

"I'll help you Riyame...I promise, believe it..."

~*~*~*~*~*~

The rich sunset's light barely filtered into the tiny room. My body was stiff and the hard ground was extremely uncomfortable. How long had I been out? It must have been a while because the sun was going down. The scrapes on my knees and elbows ached as I sat up. And as my senses began to wake up, I could feel him in the room.

"Good! You're awake," His face harbored a knowing smile, "I can see that you've slept off that smoke. Nifty isn't it, those smoke bombs." I watched him as he leaned against the wall, "It literally disables human senses if you breathe it in for too long. It's the perfect way to take out an enemy without killing them-"

"Or kidnap them..." I blurted out. I made the mistake of looking him in the eye, and my stomach nearly bottomed out, and I flinched. I shouldn't have spoken. What if that man found out...Then my team would be in danger.

"I guess you could put it that way, yes." He allowed. My heart's lurching calmed down a bit. He didn't seem very angry...Just like...My memory was extremely foggy of our first meeting, but at that time, I was under the cloud of that smog.

"I need you to do something for me," He reached out of the room and pulled in a wooden crate. It was plopped down in front of me. That was where I kept my eyes. His eyes reminded me too much of his...I grit my teeth through the tiny shards of memory that leaked around the wall until they faded.

A piece of paper and a pen were placed in front of me, "You are going to write the ransom note."

"What!?" My eyes caught his again, and my air caught in my throat.

"You are going to write the ransom note that will be sent to your friends." He stated nonchalantly, "You will write what I tell you, when I tell you, and how I tell you. If you try any secret messages, I'll make you wish you didn't."

I tried to choke down the lump in my throat, but it wouldn't go down. I gripped the pen, trying to control its shaking. By the time I was done, my neat scrawl was slightly marred, but not enough for my handwriting not to be recognizable. He then took it from me, admired the letter, and smirked down at me.

"You're doing well, sweetheart." He removed the crate the pen skidding into the corner. He didn't seem to notice it, sending a wave of plans through my now clearly thinking brain, "I'll come back when we need you." He disappeared out of the tiny stone room.

I pushed myself to a standing position. My head spun slightly, but otherwise, I was fine. Tired, but fine. My eyes flickered to the pen in the corner, but I couldn't be sure that I wasn't being watched. I looked around, shakily making my way across the room. I paused beneath the window. That pen would be of no use to me unless I had something to write with. My plan was barely formed. So barely formed that I didn't even know what it was.

My eyes turned to the window again. It wasn't covered by glass, only metal  
bars that were just out of my reach. It was nearly microscopic in size, so I knew that even without the bars, I wouldn't be able to wriggle through. Not even as small as I was...My hands reached for the bars, barely touching them even when I jumped for it. My teeth found my lip. I no longer had that crate, otherwise I would be able to use that. A sudden idea hit me.I took a deep breath and focused chakra in my hands. I jumped and gripped the ledge of the window and struggled to pull myself up. An inch at a time, I reached toward the bars. One hand at-a-time, I gripped the cool metal. I did my best to make things out in the setting sun. There had to be something to write on...

A large leaf skittered across the ground. It was plenty big enough for the message I needed to write, so I half dove for it. When I pulled it inside, I slid across the wall and snapped up the pen. I sat beneath the window and stared at the leaf in front of me. What was I going to write? Or better yet, how was it going to reach them? I wanted to punch myself. Why hadn't I thought this through a little better. There was only a slim chance that if I let it go in the breeze that it might reach them. Though at this point, my chances were slim no matter what I did.

I wrote the message as neatly as I possibly could. By the time I pulled myself up again, my stomach was flopping in the breeze that ruffled the grass. I closed my eyes and silently prayed that this attempt wasn't completely in vain—though I suspected it was, and I threw it into the wind.

It floated easily, catching on blades of grass here or there, but otherwise unhindered. I tried to keep the dull hope of that leaf reaching the boys from hanging on by more than just a thread. And it worked. Forcing myself not to hold onto that hope was all I could do to keep the memories that I had trapped behind their protective wall.

That was all I needed. Me alone with those memories...

It felt like hours before the young man returned. The sun had moved in position, so I probably assumed correctly.

He started the interrogation right off the bat, "So, what can you tell us about your teammates?" I didn't speak, "Surely you'll help us?" Silence, "What about the boy with the 'red eyes'?" He smirked, "From what I've heard, he looks quite a bit like you." I shrugged. The less I gave him, the better it would be for the boys, "Are you related?" No answer, "First, second, third cousin?" Nothing, "Brother?"

I shifted uncomfortably and kept my eyes away from his, "So brother, eh?"

He paced for a few seconds, "What's your name sweetheart?" Again, I didn't answer. If I told him my name—be it my first and/or last—he would know who my brother was and what the mysterious red eyes were.

When he crouched down in front of me suddenly, I nearly jumped out of my skin. His eyes held mine and I barely fended off the memories that started leaking around the edges. I turned my gaze from him, but his hand kept it in place.

"So what are these red eyes that my spineless little brutes are so scared of?" The dark curiosity that raged in his eyes was hungry. I still didn't answer, "The silent treatment isn't going to work forever. I will make you speak eventually, and it isn't going to be pleasant." He promised, "So why don't you stop being difficult and tell me what I need to know." I finally tore my gaze from his, "Oh no, you are going to look at me." It was like a switch flipped in my brain and my eyes suddenly couldn't escape his no matter how hard I tried.

"Answer my questions." My teeth clamped down on my lip. His softened gaze hardened, chipping at the wall that held back the well that threatened to explode. No matter what he said, I didn't speak. No threat, no dark remark made me open my mouth. The anger that trickled into his eyes was like a knife. It stabbed into me over and over. Every memory of blood splatter punched holes into my walls.

"I can see that you aren't going to answer me now, but I will break you. That I promise." He touched his index finger to my forehead, and I sucked in a surprised gasp.

That inverted world enveloped me, sucked me under like an iron blanket. The air teased my lungs, thickening until the pressure was nearly suffocating. My feet moved without my permission. With every step bodies fell at my feet. My heart lurched in my chest, sending a pounding like a drum through my pulse. The blood that sprayed into the air sent waves of crushing nausea that unhinged my stomach.

Every image repeated in terrifying clarity. They were ghost-like images that just flit around, constantly looped in a bloody circle. The images that filtered cracks began to destroy the wall, hammering away at it until it was just a pile of rubble. Every repressed picture assaulted me, sending me into a morbid world of blood and death. My eyes were plastered open, never closing. Every thing slowly and painfully began to engrave into my mind. Nothing would wake me from this nightmare.

~*~*~*~*~

Naruto knew that giving Sasuke the silent treatment was childish, but he didn't care. Sasuke didn't speak to him either, and even if he would have, Naruto would have stuck his nose in the air and ignore him until he helped him come up with a rescue plan. He poked the barely smoldering embers with a stick. His face was grumpy and agitated. His lips formed a grimace. He didn't sleep a wink last night, too busy trying to come up with the plan Sasuke refused to help him with. So far, he had nothing. Nothing he came up with seemed like a good idea.

At first, the thought about sneaking off, tracking her down, and just fighting his way into wherever they were holding her until he was victorious. But there was the problem of tracking her. Naruto wasn't a tracker. That was just the truth. Sasuke might have a chance of doing so, but he wasn't going to let go of his childish pride and ask him for help. It was up to Sasuke to offer it. Tracking her down and fighting his way in was the only thing Naruto had come up with. And no matter how he looked at it, it was filled with risky holes that could get him hurt, or worse.

His blue eyes glanced toward the raven haired boy. Stupid Sasuke...Why couldn't he just go along with something Naruto wanted to do for once. The last time Sasuke had trusted him, the plan went without a hitch. What was so bad about listening to him now!?

"Would you stop glowering at me." Sasuke turned his onyx eyes on him, "Why don't you do something useful and go secure the cart."

Naruto shoved off the ground, tossing his stick into the fire. He stalked off in the direction of the cart irritably—though not because Sasuke told him to, but because he wanted to.

As he approached the grouping of bushes, a large figure appeared out of the treeline. Naruto backed away from the bushes, bracing himself.

"Calm down kid." The leader of the bandits that had kidnapped Riyame stood in front of him.

"Get out of here before I make you, creep." Naruto barked.

"Shut up and listen," His arm moved to reach for something, and Naruto's heart lurched a bit.

"Sasuke!" It was the first time he'd talked to him in several hours, so if

he tried to ignore him, Naruto was going to ring his neck.

"You can't do anything right, can you dunce?" Naruto ignored his comment, knowing it would be only moments until he saw the reason he called for him.

When Sasuke reached his side, his body tensed in readiness just as Naruto's had, "What do you want?"

"Both of you shut your traps," The man said harshly. He pulled out a small piece of rolled up paper out of a worn pouch on his side, "Take it and read it, and I'd suggest you read it carefully because your friend's life depends on it." He tossed it into Naruto's fumbling hands.

Within the blink of an eye he was gone.

Almost instantly, Naruto yanked it open. He recognized the handwriting on the page, but he couldn't remember where.

"I have been taken captive, as you both know. They aren't open for negotiations, so the only way to safely retrieve me is to cooperate in their exchange. You are to meet us at these coordinates..." A pale hand yanked the note from his hands.

"You are to bring the cart to this location exactly. In exchange, I will be handed over to you unharmed. If you try to ignore this offer, my life will be forfeit. If you agree to these conditions, meet us at those coordinates at noon. If you fail to appear, you will be hunted. Plain and simple." Sasuke's glare penetrated the paper in his hands.

"I recognize that handwriting from somewhere..." Naruto muttered aloud.

"It's Riyame's." His fist clenched, crinkling the paper angrily.

"You think they made her write it."

"That's exactly what they did."

A wave of anger rolled over Naruto, "We've gotta meet them." Naruto searched Sasuke's face for doubt, "We have to! If not, they'll kill her."

He paused, but Sasuke didn't speak, "Are you with me?" No answer,

"Sasuke...Answer me!" More silence, "Fine, well I'm going no matter what you say."

He trudged over to the bushes, beginning to uncover the cart. He made sure all of its goods were still intact as he gently eased it out of the branches.

"Stop." Sasuke said.

"I'm going to save Riyame." Naruto said back, "I am. You can twiddle your thumbs, but I'd rather fail this mission than let her get hurt." Naruto began to drag the cart behind him.

"That's what they want, idiot." Sasuke's pale hand stopped the moving of the cart.

"So what if that's what they want!" Naruto turned to face the raven haired boy.

"We're playing into a trap-"

"So what..." Naruto glared Sasuke down, "I'd rather save a friend than deliver this stupid cart."

Sasuke yanked the wagon away from Naruto, "We aren't doing anything without a plan."

"Now you wanna make a plan!? I've been doing that all night." Naruto gripped it and yanked it back.

"Stop being an idiot." Sasuke barked.

"No," Naruto snapped.

"Naruto-"

"I'm done listening to you."

"You'll screw everything up!" Sasuke half shouted.

Naruto let growl of frustration, shoving the cart away and tackling him to the ground.Naruto pinned him to the ground, launching several punches that didn't meet the target. Instead, Sasuke's kicked him off, knocking him into the wooden cart. There was a sharp POP, and Naruto jumped to his feet.

"Now who's the screw up!?" Naruto pointed an finger at him angrily.

"You're the one who attacked me." Sasuke stood, brushed himself off, and sauntered Naruto's way. Naruto took this time to check the cart. There were a few misplaced goods, but other than that...Naruto paused to look at the very center bottom. A small hole revealed the dark—and hollow—inside.

"Hey, I think there's some weird hiding spot in the bottom of this thing."

Sasuke appeared beside him, "Move." Naruto hopped back as his hands felt around the small hole. A few seconds later, Sasuke lifted out a board to reveal a compartment with several rolled up papers and a scroll.

"What the..." Naruto started to reach for one, but Sasuke stopped him.

"Don't touch them."

"Why?"

Sasuke made a hand sign, "Release." A force field began to appear, "I have a feeling that we weren't supposed to know about this."


	5. Barriers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Edit) If this is your first time reading the chapter, the chapter was a little shorter. If this is your second, I've added a bit more, and I think that this is a better place to leave the chapter.

Naruto’s brow furrowed, “But what are they?”

“It’s obviously not our job to know. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have kept it from us.” Sasuke didn’t like his answer, and judging by the look on Naruto’s face, he didn’t either.

“It just doesn’t make sense. Why make us tote around this cart instead of just having us deliver them ourselves?” Naruto motioned to the scrolls.

“Like I said, I doubt we were supposed to know about them at all,” Sasuke replied. He hated not knowing, but without the knowledge of how to get past the ward, curiosity was pointless.

“What if…I mean there’s no way they could…” Naruto huffed a sigh, his face screwing up in concentration.

“Spit it out,” Sasuke grumbled.

“Do you think the bandits knew? About the scrolls, that is,” Naruto asked.

He considered the blond’s words. As much as it disdained him to admit, Naruto had a point. Why would bandits bother with such a meager amount of goods? It wouldn’t be worth it. They weren’t toting weapons. Only a small amount of medical equipment and nonperishables. It was the only logical argument.

“At this point, I’m sure they know. I bet they think we’re ignorant too,” he answered, “in fact, they’re probably banking on it.”

A pained frown tugged at Naruto’s lips, “We can’t just trade them for Riyame ’til we know what they are.”

“We’ll trade the cart.”

“What about the-“

“We’ll remove the scrolls, and then we’ll trade the cart. Their assumptions will be their undoing.”

Naruto looked at Sasuke as if had never seen him before. Where was this attitude before? Whatever it was, he wasn’t going to pop his bubble. It was better to have Sasuke with him than against him.

“One question, though,” Naruto said, “how’re we going to get the scrolls out?”

“Good question.”

Sasuke spent what felt like forever staring at the soft blue forcefield. He had spent the better part of an hour making hand signs and saying, “Release,” but with no luck so far. He had even looked closely to see if there was a seal he could break with a kunai. The only seals were on the inside.

Naruto, on the other hand, had spent the better part of the hour throwing small projectiles at it with the hopes that it would break. He had no clue if it would work, but something had to eventually, right? His thoughts occasionally drifted to tracking their teammate down again, but he knew Sasuke would never go for it. His only chance at backup was behind a tiny force field.

After another ten minutes of silence, Naruto started bouncing verbal ideas based in boredom off of Sasuke. “What if we go at it from underneath?”

“There are seals on the inside. The only way in is through the top.” Sasuke’s voice was a bored monotone. The sun had set an hour ago and a slight chill had set it, remedied only by the crackling low behind them.

“How many release jutsu do you know?” Naruto’s question was only partly a joke.

“Not enough.” They fell silent after that.

Naruto began to wonder if there was anyone that could break the barrier. It was obviously meant for a more powerful ninja than either of them. Naruto knew that throwing tiny rocks at it wasn’t likely to do much of anything at all, but it was better than nothing. He thought about getting larger projectiles or even a stick to poke it, but he was worried that one or both of them would end up injured by the backfire. Both of them needed to be at their peak if they were going to help Riyame out of this.

A sudden thought occurred to Naruto. “Aww man,” He groaned, falling onto his back. Sasuke gave him a questioning look, “Our three days are up tomorrow.”

Sasuke’s eyes widened in realization. The idiot was right. They were given a three-day constraint. They should have been to the Shadow village and headed back already. Instead, they were forced to negotiate with common criminals.

“Granny is gonna murder us,” Naruto complained.

Sasuke didn’t bother replying. He began to double his efforts, the hand signs coming faster from hazy memories and lessons with Kakashi. Nothing. No good. If anything the barrier glowed brighter. Frustration started settling into the cracks in his memory.

“Okay! Screw it!” Naruto jumped to his feet, rummaged around in the bushes near them, and found the largest, sharpest branch he could.

“What are you doing?” Mild curiosity brought Sasuke to his feet, but that didn’t keep him from sounding condescending.

“I’m gonna break it,” Naruto answered readying the branch in his hands.

“Are you insane? The thing could explode, moron,” Sasuke barked.

“It’s better than doing nothing,” Naruto bit back.

“Don’t be-“

“You can help me or shut up. I’m going it either way,” Naruto snapped. He took a deep breath, summoning as much strength as he could muster, and stabbed at the forcefield.

For a moment, Sasuke thought he had succeeded. The barrier seemed to cave in under the pressure, and the more weight Naruto put into it, the closer it seemed to piercing it. Then it began to shift.

“Let go of the stick,” Sasuke said urgently.

“I’ve almost got it,” Naruto protested.

“Let it go, idiot,” Sasuke nearly shouted. No sooner than Sasuke had yanked Naruto away from it, the branch exploded, showering the area with splinters.

“What was Granny thinking!?” Naruto uncovered his face once he was sure they were safe.

“Not that we would find it, that’s for sure,” Sasuke grumbled bitterly. He plucked a splinter from the ground and examined it closely. Part of it was charred which meant that the wall that was guarding the scrolls could withstand a lot of force. They weren’t going to get it open by force.

Another ten minutes passed before Naruto spoke again, “I wish Sakura was here…” Sasuke glanced at him as if to ask why. “You know…she’s so brainy. She’d know just how to break through it.” Even Sasuke couldn’t deny that. Sakura might have been annoying sometimes, but she wasn’t one of the top students in their class for nothing.

“That’s it!” Naruto’s face lit up, proud of his revelation, “We have to think like Sakura!”

Sasuke quirked a raven colored brow, “How exactly are we supposed to do that?”

“You know…try to imagine what Sakura would do in this situation,” Naruto cleared his throat, “Oh Sasuke, you’re so clever,” His voice was high in the worst imitation of Sakura that Sasuke had ever heard, “I just know you’ll figure this out because I’m so in love with you-“

“I don’t know what that’s supposed to be, but it’s not helping.” Naruto kept going, unhindered by Sasuke’s negativity.

“-Naruto, you’re okay too, but Sasuke has his chidori and his sharingan and you’ve just got a-“

“Wait,” Sasuke put a hand up to silence him, “Chidori.” At best, they broke the barrier, at worst, they blew up the entire cart, and they would have to either save his sister themselves or call in a swat team from Konaha.

“Chidori…you mean, you think it’ll be enough?” Naruto’s face scrunched up as he thought about it, “I mean…what can go wrong, right? It works or it doesn’t.”

Sasuke flitted through the hand signs and felt the flow of chakra form around his hand. The lightning chirped as it danced around. He flattened his hand into a position where it would do the most damage and jabbed at the shield. At first, he met resistance. He knew that had it not been for the chidori, his hand would have been fried to a crisp. After a couple of seconds of intense pressure, the surface began to ripple inward.

A little longer, Sasuke thought, come on. Just when he thought his hand would pierce through it, he was blown backward. The breath left his lungs in a huff of air. He struggled to regain it as he righted his aching body. On the other side of the cart, Naruto stood clutching his side. Both of them approached the cart with grim faces and peered into it.

Naruto let out a whoop of joy, thrusting his hands in the air. A wave of relief settled over Sasuke that nearly swept his legs from beneath him. He reached forward hesitantly to be sure that his eyes weren’t playing tricks on him, and he was hit with another wave of relief when his hand touched the scrolls uninjured. He grabbed the one beneath his fingers.

When he opened it, his relief was short lived. He was vaguely aware of Naruto peering over his shoulder, but he was sucked into reading through the precise handwriting.

“What is it?”

“Something we should have never seen.” He rolled it back up and placed it with the others.

Naruto grabbed up the scroll, but he was quick to recoil and replace it.

Disgusted. That’s how he felt. How could Tsunade have them carting around war plans without telling them! He was furious. They were down a teammate and all for what? A bunch of scrolls.

By the time Naruto had calmed down, he was more than ready to lay the smack down on the jerks at noon. He didn’t have the patience to sit through strategy with Sasuke, but he did it anyway. He wasn’t risking something screwing up this time. They were going to get Riyame back, no matter what.

Naruto welcomed the sunrise as it crept over the horizon. It was a symbol of his determination. They would be successful today. No matter what happened, Riyame would be safe again and they’d be on their way before the day was over. They’d send a message to Konaha telling Tsunade not to worry, that there was a delay.

Oh, Naruto couldn’t wait to tip granny a new one over the scrolls when they got back. Just the thought of it had him running energetic laps around the small campsite. He’d run the entire way to the Hokage’s office, and she wouldn’t like it when he gave her a piece of his mind.

“If you’ve got so much energy, put out the fire.” Sasuke ignored Naruto’s excitement and buried the scrolls at the base of the bushes where the cart was once stashed. He replaced the false bottom, ensuring that it appeared seamless, and carefully arranged the supplies as they were before.

Everything was ready well before noon, so they stopped to eat something small. Neither of them could stomach much with the anticipation eating at them. Both of them silently hoped their plan went off without a hitch. If all went well, they would trade the cart for Riyame and be on their merry way. Naruto feared the worst case scenario, but Sasuke was prepared for it—even if it meant killing any of them.

When the sun had reached the eight position in the sky, Sasuke announced that it was time for them to find the rendezvous point. They found the spot easily enough. It was the only clearing that Sasuke could see for miles from the tallest tree he could climb.

They sat there until the sun was high overhead. Naruto was growing restless, and if these jerks didn’t show up soon, he was going to say "screw the plan" and hunt them down. In his impatience, a snapping twig to his right nearly sent the knuckle-headed wonder into attack mode.

Into the clearing stepped a guy a little older than them. His burgundy eyes were unsettling, and his hair was as dark as coal. His pale skin almost appeared ghostly in the bright sun and gave him a startling appearance.

“Hello, boys,” He said pleasantly, “We haven’t met yet. I’m the negotiator.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like this is kinda dry and boring, but it's kinda meant to be? They're basically sitting around trying to figure out a way to get through the force field. Until they manage it, there's literally no action, and for that, I apologize. I think I'm a little out of touch writing for Riyame's story. I think Naruto and Sasuke both come off as bland and characterless, but maybe I'm just being too self-critical.


End file.
